Bulgarian Weightlifter Wins Sixth Consecutive European Championship

Jerusalem, 21 April, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- Batumi, Georgia (BTA) Bulgarian weightlifter Angel Rusev became the European weightlifting champion for the sixth time in a row on Monday. In the 60 kg category at the 2026 European Weightlifting Championships in Batumi, the Bulgarian finished with a 275 kg bout, beating Armenian Garnik Cholakyan. The Armenian won the silver medal, and the bronze medal in the match went to Turkey’s Yigit Erdogan.

The other Bulgarian in the category, Deniz Danev, also won a medal, but in the clean and jerk. There, he gave the second-best achievement after Rusev – at 151 kilograms. Before that, Danev recorded a successful attempt at 147 kilograms, as well as an unsuccessful one at the same weight.

With a weight of 266 kilograms, Danev remained sixth in the final standings.

After the clean and jerk, the two Bulgarians were sixth and ninth, respectively. Rusev recorded 120 kilograms, having previously made a successful attempt at 117 and an unsuccessful one at 120. Danev started with 115 kilograms, but then failed consecutively at 119 and 120 kilograms.

The leader was the Georgian Goderdzi Berdelidze with 125 kilograms. However, in the clean and jerk, he suffered a very serious injury on the first attempt. At 146 kilograms, Berdalidze lifted the bar above his head, at which point his right shoulder gave way and he fell to the ground, having to be taken off the podium on a stretcher.